


One Who Stays

by StrangeLittleNobody



Series: One Who Stays [1]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-03-30
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 06:06:46
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23389987
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StrangeLittleNobody/pseuds/StrangeLittleNobody
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Original Female Character(s)
Series: One Who Stays [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1682404
Comments: 1
Kudos: 2





	One Who Stays

Billy Hargrove was anything but boring. Maybe that’s why I was so drawn towards him. We met at the beginning of Senior year. He strolled into Hawkins High with a cigarette clasped lazily between his lips and dressed in all this denim. All the girls in school fawned over this boy and spoke about how he was “Sex on Legs.” I didn’t understand any of it. What was so attractive about a guy who wore all denim and had a mullet. To me, he looked like a total dingus.   
He sat next to me in English that year. Everyday he tried hitting on me and everyday he left with another loss. Usually, when a girl would turn him down, he’d just move on to the next available one. I don’t know what made me so different. It wasn’t like I was trying to play hard to get. I just said no. It went on like that for a couple of weeks when I finally gave in and accepted. I couldn’t believe what I had done to myself. I just added my name to Billy Hargrove’s “List” except, that wasn’t at all what happened. He picked me up that night and took me out on a normal date and when he dropped me off at my house, he didn’t try anything to get with me. We started going out on more dates after that and before you know it, we became the new King and Queen of Hawkins High. We were there for each other through everything. I was there for him whenever he needed someplace to stay after a fight with his Dad and he was there for me when my parents divorced.   
When he turned 18, Billy was able to get away from his Dad. With my dad’s permission, I let Billy move in to my house. Things were great up until summer hit. We both decided it would be a good idea to get jobs so we could start saving to get out of my dad’s house and on our own. He was working as a lifeguard at Hawkins Community Pool and I was slinging ice cream with my sister, Robin, at Scoops Ahoy in the Starcourt Mall. Neither of us made very much money which is where, I believe, the tension started. It was after that that things started to escalate. Then, one day in July, everything changed.

*Ding* *Ding* *Ding* “Harrington! It’s your turn to sling ice cream!” I yelled into the back room. I waited a few minutes. No answer. “Harrington!” Nothing. “I swear to God….” I mumble as I walk into the back only to find my sister, Robin, messing with her ‘You Rule/You Suck’ chart. “Have you seen Steve? It’s his turn to run the register.” I asked.  
“Check the food court. He’s been striking out all day so he probably moved to a bigger range- aaannnddd looks like there’s another tally for ‘You Suck’.” She laughs and makes another mark on her whiteboard.  
“Thanks Robin. Harrington! Stop pointlessly flirting, get your ass in here and do your job!” I replied and then yelled louder into the food court to catch Steve’s attention. It seemed to work as he gave me a “dirty” look and jogged back to behind the counter. “Are you ever going to give up?” I asked, curiously.  
“Give up? What are you talking about? I was on a roll back there.” We both looked over at Robin who burst out laughing and gestured to the board which gave an 0-9 count. Steve playfully glared at her.  
“Alright, Romeo, just get back to work.”   
“Aye Aye, Captain!” He exclaimed with a mock salute and started working. I walked into the back room with Robin and sat down, exhausted.  
“You good over there?” She asked.  
“Not really. This job totally sucks-“  
“Ouch! Am I really that unbearable?” Robin questions, voice laced with fake hurt.  
“No, it’s nothing to do with you. It’s just, I’m barely making any money here and I just feel like I’m letting Billy down. We’re both supposed to be saving up to move out of dad’s house but I can’t even get a job that pays decent. Plus, our relationship is starting to take a turn for the worst because of all of this and I’m worried that there won’t even be a need to save up anymore.” I say as I release all of my fears. Things haven’t been the same between Billy and I since graduation. We’ve been fighting more over the dumbest of things such as him leaving his shoes in the middle of our room or me forgetting to put away my makeup.   
“Maybe you should try talking to him. Like, actually sit his ass down and talk about your problems like adults.” She suggested.  
“You don’t think I’ve tried that!? He just brushes me off and acts like nothing is wrong. I don’t know what to do anymore.” I exclaim whilst throwing my head into my hands. “I don’t want to lose him. I can’t.”  
“Everything’s going to be alright. Try and talk to him again tonight but this time, explain how important it is to have this conversation. I know that dad is going to be gone all night and I’m staying over at a friends so you’ll have the house to yourself.”  
“God, I hope this works.”  
“It will. Trust me.” Robin said and we both got back to work. Nine O’clock rolled around meaning that it was time to head home. I helped lock up the store and ran out to my car in the nearly empty parking lot. I got in and drove home, all while being an absolute nervous wreck.


End file.
